Method of and apparatus for treating veneer blocks



June'23, 1942, E. s. YOUNG 2,287,403

METHOD OF AND APARATUS FOR TREATING vYENEIEIR BLOCKS Fg Z .r @gf 5. m 5*- {TTI 20,3

:L LL 2O Iza Y Az/ E; s. YOUNG 2,287,403 Y/METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING VENEER BLOCKS June 23, 1942.

Filed Oct. l0, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1942 UNITED s'rarss TENTY QFFIC METHD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREAT- ING VENEER BLOCKS 6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the veneer making art, yand particularly to a method of and apparatus for treating Veneer blocks containing pitch seams or cracks. This application isa continuation-impart of application, Serial No. 183,859, led January '1, 1938.

The main object of this invention is the development of a method of and apparatus for removing the pitch from the seams in veneer blocks and the substitution of a supporting element.

The second object is to reduce the amount of loss ordinarily occasioned by the collapse of veneer blocks containing pitch seams or cracks during the turning operation.

I accomplish these and other objects in the manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the device.

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 3--3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan of a grate element.

Fig. 5 is a section through the manifold control valve.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the pressure reversing valve.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 1-1 in Fig. 2 showing the pitch being removed from the seam.

Fig. 8 is a section taken along the line 8-3 in Fig. 2 showing the reinforcing materials being substituted for the pitch.

Fig. 9 is a bottom View of the face plate taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. 3.

Similar numerals refer to similar throughout the several views.

Referring in ydetail to the drawings, there is shown a base I which rests upon the foundation II. The base I0 has formed therein an opening I2 in which is placed a funnel I3 for the collection of pitch I4. A pitch collecting container I is disposed below the funnel I3. A grating or perforated plate I6 extends across the funnel I3 and is of suicient strength to support a Veneer block I1.

There is shown by way of illustration a pitch seam I8 which as a rule is filled with soft pitch or partially lled with dry pitch.

On the base ID are mounted the pillars I9 across the top of which is placed a head 20. Mounted under the head 2|] is a cylinder 2| whose piston 22 is attached to the face plate 23 parts by means of a universal joint 24. The face plate 23 is provided with annular ridges 25 which are concentric with the face plate 23. The ridges 25 form concentric channels 26 which are connected by means of the passageways 21 and the flexible tubings 23 to the body 28 of a rotatable manifold valve 30 which is provided with a lever 3|. The manifold valve 3Q is provided with a port 32 which is adapted to admit a fluid pressure through the pipe 33 and discharge the fluid through the tubings 28 to the respective annular channels 26.

The particular type of fluid used to operate the piston 22 is of minor importance, but steam is preferable for use in the valve body 29 since it is used for softening the pitch I4 and expelling it from the seam I8 into the container I5.

The cylinder 2I is supported on a radial 34 which is free to swing from the intermediate pillar 35 making it possible for the face plate 23 to be swung directly over the bath 3% which contains a grate 31 capable of sustaining a vene-er block and means (not shown) are provided for placing the block I1 upon the grate 31. The bath 36 is secured upon the upper side of the base I0,

Positive or negative pressure may be applied to the valve body 29 through the pipe 33 by means of a pressure reversing valve 38 which is provided with a manual control lever 39, the pipe 40 leading to a suction pump and the pipe 4I communicating with a source of pressure such as a steam boiler. Fluid pressure is applied to or released from the cylinder 2| through the pipes 42 by the piston control valve 43 by means of a manually operated lever 44, the pipe 45 constituting a pressure line and the pipe 46 constituting an exhaust pipe.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Assuming that a block I1 has been barked and cut to length and it is found to have a pitch s-eam I8 which would ydetract from its value as a veneer block, the block I1 is picked up by a suitable carrier operating on the rails 41 an-d placed upon the grating I 6. The face plate `23 is then swung into the position shown in Fig. 2 and pressure admitted to the cylinder 2I causing the face plate 23 to bear down upon the upper end of the block I1. The valve lever 3| is then moved until steam escapes beyond the outer side of the block I1 after which it is reversed sufciently to stop the wasting of the steam. Steam now enters the seam I8 making the pitch I4 more uid and finally expelling it into the container I5. After the pitch I4 is extracted from the block I1, the steam supply is cut oif by manipulating the lever 3 I, and the face plate 23 is raised by the operation of the lever 44. The block I'I is then picked up and placed in the bath 33 and the cylinder 2| is swung around to a position coaxial with the block I1.

The face plate 23 is now forced against the upper end of the block I'I and air is exhausted from the seam I8 by the manipulation of levers 3| and 39 causing the substitute materials 48, which may be in the form of any desired ller, to completely occupy the seam I8. For small cracks pure glue will be found satisfactory or it may be used with any binder which would not injure the lathe knives. With very large seams, strips of Wood may be inserted into the pockets to partially fill same before injecting the glue ller.

Obviously, the details of this apparatus are of minor importance, the essential portions consisting of a means for removing the pitch from the seams of a block and a further means for substituting a supporting material.

While I have illustrated and described a method of filling a pitch seam with a supporting material by drawing the material up into the seam, it is obvious that it may be inserted by pressure as by a pressure gun without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, the combination of a base having an opening therein, a grate mounted over said opening, means for placing a veneer block on end of said grate, a

head over said base, pillars for supporting said head from said base, a hydraulically operated face plate supported by one of said pillars adapted to be brought down upon the upper end of the veneer block, said face plate having annular rings on the underside thereof adapted to engage the sawed end of the block, means for admitting steam selectively to the grooves between said rings, a container for substituting materials mounted on said base, a grate within said container spaced from the bottom thereof, means for moving said face plate directly over said container and means for drawing a partial vacuum on the grooves between the rings of said face plate.

2. In the art of making veneer from blocks of veneer logs which contain pitch seams, the steps of conserving such blocks by preventing collapse thereof during the turning operation, which consists in subjecting the veneer block to the pitch -dissolving action of a heated fluid and when the pitch seam has been cleared of its pitch, lling such seam with a ller of supporting material of roughly the same resistance to cutting as the wood of the block.

3. The process of claim 2 in which the fluid is steam.

4. The process of claim 2 in which the fluid is under pressure, and the ller is a glue.

5. In an apparatus for treating veneer blocks containing pitch seams to prevent collapse of such blocks during the turning operation; a grate for supporting a veneer block in vertical position, a tank for holding a filler material to be substituted for the free pitch in the block, a cap to close the upper end of the block, means for transferring the block with its cap from the grate to the tank, and means for delivering a pitch removing fluid thru the cap to the block when the block is supported on the grate and for creating a suction in the cap when the block is within the tank to cause the ller material to rise within the block to replace the removed pitch.

6. The device of claim 5 in which the transferring means includes a raising and lowering device secured to the cap and mounted to pivot about a vertical axis proximate the grate and the tank.

ELLSWORTH S. YOUNG. 

